McLaren: 1965 Mk1/M1A, Chassis# 20/09 This document is to provide an overview of Elva-McLaren, chassis# 20/09. Though there is a good amount of detail within this document, it is only a brief synopsis of what has been collected by the present owner of this vehicle. There are countless more period photos of the vehicle, as well as additional documentation and memorabilia that just won’t fit into a single document. Additionally, the most recent restoration of this vehicle has been documented with a couple hundred more photographs.

Photo: Dave Friedman

1965 This car was purchased by Chic Vandagriff of Hollywood Sport Cars in 1965. Hollywood Sport Cars (to be noted as HSC later in this document) was one of the largest importers of Ferrari automobiles into North America. Original Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin and Invoice pictured below (text on the backside of documents not reproduced, in an effort to prevent someone from forging such document for other vehicles) [Documents came from Cris Vandagriff’s collection.]

1965 (continued)

Picture below shows arrival of McLaren 20/09 at Hollywood Sport Cars

Photo above supplied by Cris Vandagriff

Article below announcing arrival of McLaren 20/09 at Hollywood Sport Cars (Doane Spencer standing by car)

Article above from RACEWAY magazine courtesy Bill Martin

1965 (continued)

Upon receiving McLaren 20/09 at Hollywood Sport Cars, Doane Spencer (crew chief and master fabricator), began adding his own touches to the car. Doane Spencer is not only a hot rod legend, but he also worked his magic on many race cars from the early ‘60s to the early ‘80s, many of which were owned/funded/run by Hollywood Sport Cars. Doane’s 1965 efforts to McLaren 20/09 include: Changed the design of the driver roll hoop. Skinned the entire belly of the car, and lower sills/rockers/fuel cells in aluminum. Some say

Doane performed this mod to McLaren 20/09 before the factory cars, or any other private McLaren.

Chromed the suspension pieces (Doane was already a Hot Rod legend at the time, and dutifully carried out the “if it don’t go, chrome it” axiom).

Changed the Mk1/M1A front bodywork of the car to lower the leading edge profile, most likely in an attempt to provide more downforce… Or just less lift.

Added scoops to the side of the Mk1/M1A rear bodywork to duct air to the oil coolers. Pin-drive knock-off wheels added (“Star of David” pattern, sometimes referred to as

manufactured by Halibrand, and other times noted as Schroeder made.) Installed a dry-sumped, 289 Ford V8, with cross-ram Weber induction (as run at the

inaugural Can-Am race in St. Jovite Canada) 289 Ford engines made as much as 490hp, but lacked reliability.

Sometimes several small block Ford engines were lost in one weekend. Per Cris Vandagriff, Hollywood Sport Cars was getting support from Ford on

their engines. Dan Gurney got the most support, with larger displacement motors.

HSC had a good connection at Firestone at the time, and used their tires accordingly.

All Sunbeam fans know that the Tiger piloted by Jim Adams, masterminded by Doane Spencer, was the most successful racing Tiger of the period. A Sunbeam Tiger expansion tank was also used on McLaren 20/09... and is still on the car. (picture later in the document)

Schroeder rack and pinion installed, and a set of trick cast aluminum steering column mounts were added. (Images of rack and mounts below)

1965 (continued) Pictured below is McLaren #20/09 with Doane Spencer seated in car. Jim Adams with hand on roll hoop.

Photo: Doana Raquepo Collection

1965 (continued) Pictured below is McLaren #20/09 as delivered [TOP], and with all the above noted “first round” Doane Spencer modifications [BOTTOM]. (Bottom photo shot at Willow Springs in 1965, Jim Adams seated in car… Not Dan Gurney.)

Both photos above courtesy of Cris Vandagriff

.

1965 (continued) After all the time and efforts with the Mk1/M1A bodywork in 1965, Doane and HSC decided that yet another major evolution was needed for McLaren 20/09. They determined that to make the HSC McLaren more capable and competitive, it needed Mk2/M1B bodywork. This work progressed up and until the Can-Am debut event at St. Jovite in September, 1966. Note in the image below, Doane Spencer is studying all the details of the factory Mk2/M1B at the October, 1965, Pacific Grand Prix (Kent, WA)

January 1966, Cover of Sports Car Graphic, Pete Biro photo.

1965 (continued)

During this effort, Doane Spencer/HSC…

Changed all the bodywork from Mk1/M1A to Mk2/M1B spec.

Installed a wider, Mk2/M1B style driver roll hoop. Doane also executed beautifully brazed little collars onto the hoop to rest it in the frame tubes at just the right height.

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter collection. McLaren 20-09 (1968)

Wider rear wheels and Firestone rubber were added.

1965 (continued)

Additional changes that happened in either the first (Mk1 bodywork) or second effort (Mk2): o One-off, Doane Spencer designed, front uprights and spindles to replace the Triumph

Herald uprights it came with. These Doane Spencer creations still exist with the car, and are in great shape. The spindle retention nuts are right and left-hand thread depending on the side of the vehicle (1.375”, with an odd thread pitch of 16 threads per inch).

Doane’s apprentice, Dennis Swan, was able to confirm the originality of the upright, as he was tasked with taking the first and second design items to the foundry (and back).

o The chassis tubes that hold the main roll hoop have a couple pocket-like brackets brazed in that allow two additional bars to bolt in and connect the frame to the front of the engine.

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter collection. This is just after Harvey installed his engine into McLaren 20-09 (1968)

1966 St. Jovite Can-Am, Sept 11, Driver: Jim Adams, Car# 55, gridded 12th, finished 16th

The first Can-Am event ever, at St. Jovite Canada, and the Hollywood Sport Cars McLaren (chassis 20/09) was there. All the additional changes took so much time and effort, you can see that only black tape is used for the numbers in this “as arrived” shot from Dave Friedman. The shot just below also provides a very nice view of the crossram, side-draft Weber carburetion set up on the small block Ford engine. Picture below shows McLaren 20/09 as raced by Hollywood Sport Cars (1966 St. Jovite Can-Am/“Player’s Quebec”)

Photo above by Dave Friedman

1966 (continued) Picture below shows McLaren 20/09 as raced by Hollywood Sport Cars, now with more acceptable numbers later in the weekend (1966 St. Jovite Can-Am/“Player’s Quebec”)

Photo above by Dave Friedman

1966 (continued) Laguna Seca Can-Am/”Monterey Grand Prix”, Oct 16, Driver: Jim Adams, Car# 55, gridded 13th, finished first heat 11th, finished second heat 9th, 9th overall. Picture below shows McLaren 20/09 as raced by Hollywood Sport Cars, leading Mark Donohue’s Lola T70 through the Corkscrew (1966 Monterey Grand Prix [Can-Am])

Photo above by Dave Friedman

1966 (continued) Pictures below show McLaren 20/09 as raced by Hollywood Sport Cars (1966 Monterey Grand Prix [Can-Am])

Photos by Bob Tronolone

1967 Over the winter of 1966, the rear bodywork on McLaren 20/09 got wider, to house the ever-growing Firestone rear rubber. The widened rear bodywork changes can still be seen on the car today. The car also received Chevy power for the first time. According to Chic Vandagriff, the engine was purchased from Al Bartz, without Doane’s involvement. Chic knew that Doane, a die-hard Ford man, wouldn’t want to switch from Ford power. According to Jim Adams, the new Chevy engine transformed the car, and two wins in the 1967 season would seem to back up his feelings.

Willow Springs National, March 12, 1967, Driver: Jim Adams, finished 1st

Above article text from April 1

st, 1967 Competition Press & Autoweek

Las Vegas USRRC, April 23, Driver: Jim Adams, Car# 39, gridded 22nd, finished 15 laps and DNF'd (engine) At or around this race, McLaren 20/09 stopped running the standard McLaren emblem in the center of the leading edge of the front nose. Chic Vandagriff was instrumental in helping to start the Stardust track in Las Vegas. Again, recounting from Cris Vandagriff.. “At one point the people at the Stardust Hotel gave dad a $10,000 chip to put on the nose! That was when dad was building the Stardust track! It was purple!!” Picture below shows McLaren #20/09 as raced by Hollywood Sport Cars (1967 Las Vegas USRRC)

Photo above by Dave Friedman

1967 (continued) McLaren #20/09 on Cover of 1967 Las Vegas USRRC Program

1967 (continued)

1967 Santa Barbara Road Races, May 28, Driver: Jim Adams, Car #39, finished 1st

Jim Adams leading Jerry Entin. They finished in this order as well.

Photo above by John Wilson

1967 (continued) Competition Press Article on Event and Results

June 17, 1967 Competition Press & Autoweek

1967 (continued) 1967 Santa Barbara Road Races Program showing McLaren 20/09 (Driver, Jim Adams, kneeling outside of car)

May 27-28, 1967 Santa Barbara Road Races Program

1967 (continued)

Kent/Pacific Raceways USRRC, July 18, Driver: Jim Adams, Car #39, gridded ?, finished 1 lap and DNF'd (engine)

Photographer unknown

Cris Vandagriff story from this event: “The gear box broke in an early practice – dad (Chic) goes off to look for help. Sometime later he is making his way down the pit lane CARRYING a new Hewland from Mr. Haas!!! CARRYING it by himself!! He was an animal!! Story #2 there is a "bypass" on a part of the track no one can see - all of a sudden Jim is a couple of seconds up on the entire field. EVERYONE thinks he did the time!! Of course he doesn't come clean for a really long time!! It was a great prank - made dad and Doane proud!!”

1967 (continued) Laguna Seca Can-Am/”Monterey Grand Prix”, Oct 15, Driver: Jim Adams, Car# 39, qualified at 1:07, gridded ?, finished DNS At this race, as seen in the pic below, McLaren 20/09 began running the Mk3/M1C style adjustable rear wing.

Photo above by Duane Polley

1967 (continued) Riverside Can-Am/”Los Angeles Times Grand Prix”, October 29, Driver: Jim Adams, Car# 39, qualified at 1:47.6, gridded 24th, finished DNS

Photo above by John Wilson

After the 1967 Can-Am season, Jim Adams decided to take a break from racing. Jim took a couple seasons off, and then returned to Can-Am driving Ferraris that were also wrenched by Doane Spencer, and had the support of Chic Vandagriff.

1968

McLaren 20/09 was sold to Ted West, who only owned the car for a few months, but did not race it. Harvey Lasiter purchased the car from Ted West, without an engine, in 1968.

According to Harvey, he thought the car only sat in Ted West's garage during his ownership. Harvey found out about the car through Doug Hooper. Harvey was on the road supporting Lothar Motschenbacher as crew, so he asked Doug to go pick up the McLaren from Ted West.

Harvey bought the car for $4000, less engine.

Harvey had the money because he'd just sold his Cheetah to Greg Naylor of Tiny Naylor restaurants.

Harvey had to paint the car after he bought it. The HSC signage was still on the rear bodywork, and it was painted on, so they had to sand and repaint it.

One of the sponsors during Harvey’s ownership, as seen on the car’s bodywork in ’68, was the music group The Mama’s and the Papa’s.

Both Harvey Lasiter and Doug Hooper drove the car, but Harvey was always the owner from 1968-1970.

Lasiter/Hooper always ran the car with a small block Chevrolet (333, 350 and 377 cu. in.), and Mk3/M1C bodywork/adjustable rear wing.

Harvey Lasiter built the engines himself. Harvey had long been working on various Lothar Motschenbacher entries, and was more than capable of building his own engines.

According to Doug Hooper, he set a new lap record at Willow Springs with McLaren 20/09 in 1968. Photo below shows McLaren 20/09 shortly after Harvey Lasiter’s purchase. Harvey had to re-paint and fit one of his engines into the car.

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter Collection

1968(continued) Riverside USRRC, April 28, Driver: Doug Hooper, Car# 91, gridded ?, finished 28 laps and DNF'd (clutch)

Picture below shows McLaren 20/09 as raced by Doug Hooper (1968 Riverside USRRC). NOTE: “MAMA’s and the PAPA’s” sponsorship on rear bodywork

Photo above by Dave Friedman

1968(continued)

The photo below shows both Doug Hooper and owner, Harvey Lasiter testing McLaren 20/09.

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter collection

1968(continued) Cotati/”Golden Gate Race Circuit”, August 10-11, Driver: Harvey Lasiter, Car# 14, gridded ?, finished ?

August 10-11 Cotati Program with Harvey Lasiter’s name misspelled.

1968(continued)

1968 Riverside Can-Am/”Los Angeles Times Grand Prix”, October 27, Driver: Jay Hills, Car# 41, gridded ?, finished DNF (Brake Failure)

A note from Harvey Lasiter about this event, and the subsequent Stardust Can-Am: “Jay and I were good friends. Something was wrong with Jay's car, and I can't remember why I didn't race, but I loaned my car to Jay. Jay put his engine in my car."

Photos: Dave Friedman

1968 Riverside Can-Am/Los Angeles Times Grand Prix. Doane Spencer helping out (leaning over radiator).

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter Collection

Gifted from Don Breslauer (William “Murph” Mayberry Estate)

1968 (continued)

Stardust Can-Am, November 10, Driver: Jay Hills, Car# 41, gridded ?, finished 14th Again, a note from Harvey Lasiter about this event, and the previous Riverside Can-Am: “Jay and I were good friends. Something was wrong with Jay's car, and I can't remember why I didn't race, but I loaned my car to Jay. Jay put his engine in my car."" 1968 Stardust Can-Am, with Jay Hills driving.

Photo above by John Wilson

Gifted from Don Breslauer

1969 Various new sponsors listed for 1969: Tiny Naylor Restaurants, John A. Chohlis, and Doug’s Corvette Service (Doug Hooper’s business). 1969 Santa Barbara Road Races. Doug Hooper driving.

Photo: Harvey Lasiter Collection

1969 (continued)

Road America/Elkhart Lake Can-Am, August 31, Driver: Harvey Lasiter, Car# 23, gridded 30th, finished 29 laps then DNF'd (ran out of fuel) 1969 Road America Can-Am, Driver: Harvey Lasiter

Photo above by Larry Fulhorst

1969 (continued)

Laguna Seca Can-Am, October 12, Driver: Harvey Lasiter, Car# 23, qualified 1:12.3, gridded 23rd, finished 15th 1969 Laguna Seca Can-Am

Photo above from Harvey Lasiter collection.

Gifted from Don Breslauer

1969 (continued)

Riverside Can-Am/”Times Grand Prix”, October 26, Driver: Harvey Lasiter, Car# 23, Qualified 36th, finished DNS (Per Harvey Lasiter: The cam went flat in qualifying, and I didn’t have another engine to put in the car.) 1969 Riverside Can-Am Program

1969 (continued) 1969 Riverside Can-Am Program Entry

1969 Riverside Can-Am Qualifying Placement for Harvey Lasiter

1970-1977 Harvey sold the car to John McDonald, out of Encino, CA. Harvey believes this was in 1970; sold for

$5000, less engine. The sale of the McLaren helped to fund Harvey’s purchase of a Surtees TS5 (chassis 001, ex-Scooter Patrick).

Harvey Lasiter believes that John McDonald ran the car in a driver’s school, and some regional races for a couple years.

Doug Hooper also drove the car under John McDonald’s ownership as well, and won.

1970-1977 (continued) Ontario Motor Speedway Regional-National, September 1970, Doug Hooper driving, John McDonald listed as owner

John McDonald then sold the car to Mark Dees. McLaren 20/09 was then purchased by William Robbins. Robbins converted the car for street use

and titled it with the California Department of Motor Vehicles on September 13, 1973.

1970-1977 (continued) Picture below shows McLaren #20/09 as street car.

The original California street car title/“pink slip” is still present, along with registration records, and contained within the large collection of supporting documentation. Pink slip notes license number of “732 JAR”, date issued, and William Robbins as owner. William Robbins signature on front of slip also notes the date of sale/transfer (March 3

rd, 1984) to next

owner, Daniel Dubrovich (Dan’s name on back of slip).

Potentially confidential details obscured for obvious reasons.

1970-1977 (continued)

1978 Eoin Young (once secretary for Bruce McLaren Motor Racing) article about McLaren 20/09 when it was a street car.

May 1978 AUTOCAR article by Eoin Young about McLaren 20/09.

This same article ran in a 1978 Autoweek as well.

1981

Monterey Historic Automobile Races, 1981. Bill Robbins, owner.

Photo above from member Antonvrs on Autosport “TNF” forum.

1983

In 1983 Dan Dubrovich bought the car from William Robbins, and put it back to racing spec. 1987 SVRA Watkins Glen (2 Hour Enduro). Driver’s Dan Dubrovich and Bob Akin won the event in McLaren 20/09.

Photo above from September8th Photography.

1990’s Ed Ellers purchases the car from Dan Dubrovich. Car was restored in the late 1990’s to Hollywood Sport Cars representation and vintage raced a

few times by Ed Ellers. Last Ed Ellers vintage race outing with the vehicle was the 1998 Monterey Historic Automobile

Races. The engine, a 331 cu. in. small block Chevy (327, bored out .030”), was rebuilt following the

1998 Monterey Historic Automobile Races, and has not been raced since. Ed Ellers traded McLaren 20/09 to Klub Sport for a Porsche race car. Klub Sport says they had

it for a day or two, before selling it to Michael Duncan.

2000’s Current owner purchases the car from Michael Duncan in 2000. (Michael Duncan had made no

changes and did not race the McLaren during his ownership.) The current owner has spent the past 2-plus years (2009-2011) restoring McLaren 20/09 to a

very high level. The vehicle was fully disassembled, inspected, chassis repainted, various components re-plated, re-conditioned or replaced. The still well preserved exterior paint from the late 1990s restoration is all that was left untouched.

2011-2012

Pictures below show McLaren #20/09 as it sits today.

2011-2012 From Front:

2011-2012 Chassis exposed.

2011-2012 Chassis from above right.

Detail pic of pillow block bridge that still has nicely preserved “Hollywood Sport Cars” electric pencil (not re-chromed).

2011-2012 Detail pic of right front suspension during re-assembly.

Detail pic of engine breather box.

2011-2012 Detail pic of shifter and right dash.

Engine Period correct 331 cubic inch small block Chevrolet, with 0 hours since rebuild. Original “SLOVER” ported cylinder heads (“492” castings). MacKay magnesium intake manifold. Original Weber 48 IDA carburetors. VERTEX magneto.

Transaxle Hewland LG 500 (4-speed)

Spares Extra Mk2/M1B front bodywork/nose (race style, in McLaren orange). Extra Mk2/M1B front bodywork/nose. This is the street car nose, windshield, headlights

and windshield wiper that are shown elsewhere in this document. Presently painted McLaren orange.

Extra Mk2/M1B doors Mk3/M1C rear wing mounts (fiberglass items that are bonded to rear bodywork to accept

wing). Extra wheels

Two extra original McLaren rear wheels (as seen on car when it was street registered).

Full set of Jongbloed racing wheels (in same widths and offsets as McLaren wheels on car today)

Known chain of ownership for 1965 McLaren Mk1/M1A, Chassis #20/09:

Chic Vandagriff/Hollywood Sport Cars (1965-1967)

Ted West (1967) Harvey Lasiter (1968-1970) John McDonald (~1970-~1972) Mark Dees (~1972-~1973) Bill Robbins (~1973-1984) Daniel J. Dubrovich (1984-?) Ed Ellers (?-1999) Michael Duncan (1999-2000) Chad Raynal (2000-present)